The Power of Body Language

Body language is quite a fantastic subject, knowing the nitty-gritty of which can help you in interpreting the body language of different people and in understanding what they may possibly be thinking about. It’s interesting to know that while we all are constantly giving out signs in this coded body language, there aren’t very many of us who actually bother to interpret the signs. Learning the art of body language can be greatly advantageous helping us achieve success in life.

Speech is just a tiny part of the communication process and it is nonverbally that we communicate more in our daily lives. Your body language makes for more than 70 percent of the impact that you make during face to face communication, leaving the utility of words to just about 20 to 30 percent.

Our body language is a reflection of our subconscious mind, and though you may not be consciously aware of body language but it still works as a major deciding factor about the quality of our verbal communication. In view of this, it would be good for us to improve our body language and learn to interpret other people’s body language. A small point I’d like to mention here is that certain body signs may have an altogether different meaning in different cultures, so do not believe in body language as a perfect science.

Here is your little guide to understanding body language:

•    If the person sitting in front of you is faintly mirroring your gestures and body position, it shows he is empathizing with you.

•    If the person talking to you has his palms facing downwards it is an indication that he is trying to assert his dominance and aggressiveness, while on the other hand palms facing upwards imply a non-threatening and submissive stance.

•    If your office colleague is touching his face, eyes, ears or his collar too often during the conversation, it’s time for you to be watchful because the signs indicate deceit.

•    Have you seen your boss talking to you with his hands clasped behind his back? That’s just because he’s trying to assert his superiority and confidence.

•    You must have seen your grandpa rubbing his hands together when he sees you entering through the door, that’s his way of expressing excitement and optimism.

These are just a few basic interpretations of body signs, to know more about body language why not browse the net and soon you could become a master of the art of body language.